Iranian President Mr Mohammad Khatami today denounced US leaders as "immature" at a large anti-American demonstration in Tehran.
An estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people marched across the capital to the huge Azadi (Freedom) Square in the west of the city to hear Mr Khatami's speech at the annual event marking the 23rd anniversary of the Islamic revolution.
The turnout was lower than expected, but the rally still took on a carnival atmosphere as the marchers shouted slogans against US President Mr George W. Bush and hardline Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon.
Mr Khatami called on the "immature leaders" of the US government to "wake up" and change their policy towards Iran, amid America's heightened criticism of the Islamic republic as part of an "axis of evil" with Iraq and North Korea.
"We hope to see American leaders wake up and change their policy on Iran," Mr Khatami told the crowd. "The best way of fighting the pressures and threats of immature leaders is your presence here, your participation, in a word the strengthening of democracy.
"The despicable attack of September 11th must be examined closely, and we must know how much it was favoured by the mistaken policies of the American leaders," he said.
Mr Bush and other officials have hinted Iran could be a target for attack in Washington's "war on terror".
They have accused it of "meddling" in neighbouring Afghanistan; allowing members of the former Afghan Taliban regime and the al-Qaeda network to flee across the border; and sponsoring terrorism and developing weapons of mass destruction.
AFP